º£½ÇÊÓƵ

The Department for Transport has reassured in the Humber region it is doing all it can to minimise port-related congestion in a No-Deal Brexit outcome.

Details emerged last week of Operation Wellington, a three-phase initiative, which in the worst case scenario, could see motorway stretches turned into lorry parks, in order to keep vital movements on the ports unhindered.

Holding zones stretching for several miles would be established well away from the vital quaysides of Immingham and Hull, on the M180 and M62, with a further stretch in West Yorkshire also identified.

Described as highly unlikely, the “ plan for the worst ” would only kick in if there were problems with customs checks or ferry arrivals and departures, which then saw a phase one communications plan fail, and then phase two emergency lorry parks also unable to stem the flow.

Scunthorpe’s Glanford Park, Humber Bridge Car Park and Walton Street Car Park in Hull – currently home to Hull Fair – could between them hold nearly 500 vehicles, described as a relief valve for the ports should congestion mount. 

Port of Immingham alone handles a unit of freight every 40 seconds, in a just-in-time operation, the scale of which highlights how any delay could rapidly build a bottle-neck. The western access from the motorway network, the A160, is also the crucial link to the South Bank oil refineries and fellow roll-on roll-off port Humber Sea Terminal at North Killingholme, underlining the thinking behind holding vehicles miles from the docks.

The Yellowhammer document stated two and a half day hold-ups for EU-bound lorries could be a worst case picture.

A spokesperson for the DfT, said: “If hauliers have the correct documentation, there should be limited disruption at the border.